From the Bottom of My Heart
by got oranges
Summary: Horo Horo has loved Tamao from afar for way too long. When he finally gets his chance to tell her how he really feels through what was supposed to be a simple game of hide and seek, will she return his feelings or will he get shot down? Oneshot. Review!


Okay guys! This is my very, very first fanfic altogether let alone a Shaman King one! So please, please read it! Hahaha. I worked very hard and it'd be cool if you reviewed too! Well it'll probably be pretty bad but read on anyway! AHAHAHAHHA! Yes, that'd be very nice and kind of you! Well that's really enough of me… Enjoy the story!

Summary: Horo Horo has loved Tamao from afar for way too long. When he finally gets his chance to tell her how he really feels, will she return his feelings or will he get shot down? In this twist of fate, maybe the one always doing all the rescuing, needs to be rescued the most. Oneshot.

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Shaman King or anything like it…

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**From the Bottom of My Heart**

Gosh. It's already been three years since I first met her and I still can't tell her how I feel. I still can't get her lovely face out of my head! Usually I'm brave, outgoing, and confident in everything I do no matter how silly I must look. It's entwined in my heart, my blood, my soul. For running throughout my body, is the thick blood of a proud Ainu man! But now, why do I feeling so, so afraid? Over a single girl even! Maybe it's because whenever I see her I know that she'll just push me away and laugh. That must be it. Yes, most definitely. I bet she'll just say:

"_Ha-ha, very funny Horo Horo. But seriously, you joke about love because it's a very serious thing ya know? Anyway, how do __you think Master Yoh would act if…"_

Ever since I laid my young eyes her I knew she was the one. Everything about her just captivated me. Her soft, rosy lips, her voice, how flustered and embarrassed she would get when the wind tossed and messed up her lovely pink hair, how she moved and just the grace that she had as she laughed at me! She stole my heart and took my breath away without even realizing it.

The name of my little princess is Tamao.

Tamao Tamamura.

God I love hearing her name, but I know that I don't stand a chance with her. Someone else has already filled up that empty space in her heart. There's certainly no room left for me.

Yoh. My best friend and the object of Tamao's affection. From the moment the two met, Tamao has been quite obsessed with him even though she knows that his love lies with another –Anna the Ice Queen. What Yoh sees in her, the world may never know. Even still, all she ever talks about is "Yoh this" or "Yoh that." Truly it bugs the hell out of me! But that doesn't mean I can't still enjoy how pretty she looks or how sweet she'll be with me sometimes. I'll take what I can get.

But somehow I can't help but feel jealous of Yoh. I know he's my friend and he never intended to make Tamao fall for him. And although he doesn't show it, he loves Anna like there's no tomorrow! He doesn't know it yet but she feels the exact same way.

I don't know what's wrong with me. I've loved everything about her ever since I met her, yet I still can't tell her how I feel. I should tell her, I want to tell her, I NEED to tell her! There's just something inside me that holds me back, that holds all in love back.

I can still remember meeting her like it was just yesterday…

_  
I was just waking around when I heard someone crying. When I headed in the direction of the sound I found a young girl around my age sitting on the steps of the Asakura House. How long she had been sitting there I hadn't a clue. What I did know that it was raining, and a girl as cute as her shouldn't be alone on a night like this. She seemed scared so I did the only think I could think of._

"_Hi!"_

_I introduced myself._

_I __was standing there with a goofy smile on my face for a little while until she finally noticed me._

_Surprised she quickly tried to wipe away her tears. She reminded me so much of my sister Pirika. Trying to act all brave. Yet somehow her tears were different. Seeing them made me want to take all the stars in heaven down from above, wrap them in a basket, maybe with some lace, and hand them all to her in hopes that those tears of sadness would become tears of happiness. They made me want to turn the whole world upside down just to see her smile for me._

"_It's ok, don't cry." I said while giving her my headband to dry her eyes which were now a little puffy. Though I could the sadness in them, I could also see strength and hope.__Sniff. "I'm not crying."_

"_Haha. I'm sure you're not." I moved by her side and gave her my famous boyish grin that made all the girls in Izumo would sigh and swoon over. "Are you new here?"_

_She nodded meekly. That's when I first noticed her pink hair and soft looking skin. Something that I would regret loving about her._

"_Hey cheer up! You'll love it here!" Another goofy smile. "Especially since I'm here!"_

_She gave a weak laugh, but hey it's a start._

"_By the way, I'm Tamao Tamamura. What's your name?"_

"_I'm your one and only Horo Horo!" I stand up say proudly, "I'm also a 100 Ainu and -what are you laughing at!"_

_Glaring at the pink haired girl, doubled over laughing, I heard her mention something about my pants, falling down, and standing up. That's when it hit me. Slowly looking down…and "AHHHHHH!"_

I can honestly say that I never forgot that night. Things seemed to go great between us for a while too. I even thought that we both felt the same way about each other. That is until she met Yoh. After that, "Yoh" seemed like the only word in her vocabulary. I tried everything I thought of to get her attention, but now it felt as if Yoh was the center of her universe and her main reason for being.

The only thing that I could every really do to get her attention was to tease and make fun of her. But, whenever I did that, I-I just couldn't stand to see her sad like that. It felt as if my heart was being torn in two whenever she looked at me like that. But I didn't know what else to do, where else to turn. I had run out of ideas so the teasing was all I had left. I really don't know what I'm supposed to do to get her to even look at me the way she does with Yoh. All I DO know is that I can never be mad at her. She doesn't know that I truly care for her as more than a brother and more than a friend.

For three years and I still can't tell her.

No. That's it. She's really done it now, pushed me off the deep end and she doesn't even know it! I don't want to be with her. I don't think she's pretty. I don't think she's a good person. I don't think she's a nice person. I don't think she's the right person for me. I don't like her!

Instead, I want us to be _together_. I think she's the most _beautiful_ lady in the world. I think she's the most _gentle, loving_ person I've ever met or want to meet. I think she's the nicest_, most kind_ girl there is. I think she's the _perfect_ match for me. I KNOW I _love_ her.

I love her! I sincerely love her! She's my world and my hope. I know that she'll never understand this, but I just can't help the way I feel about her. Whenever I'm around her I feel different. I feel like another person. I feel as if I would do anything just to see her smile. What is this if not love?

But it doesn't matter. Even if I told her how much she means to me, she wouldn't take it seriously.

_Well that's enough sentimental thinking for now._ "Hmm…it's been awhile since I last saw Tamao. Where'd she go?" Yeah _just a quick game of hide and go seek. Riiight…Normally she'd come out by now. Oh well, better keep looking._

-48 minutes later-

_God where did she go! It's been a heck of a long time! Don't tell me she got lost again…No that can't be it. We're both 14, plus we both know this place inside out!_

"HORO HORO!"

"Huh? Tamao? Where are you!"

"I'm up here!"

'_Up here'? Can she fly? Wow if she can really fly…Hmm. Am I spacing out again?_

"HORO HORO!" Now a little bit louder, and slightly more irritated which made him wince.

_I'd know that voice anywhere._ "Tamao, what are you doing up in that tree? And for starters, how in the world did you get that high? I mean can you fly or something? 'Cause if you can-"

"ERG! I'm stuck okay! And no I can't fly, I just happened to be an ok climber. Is that such a big deal! Now help me get down! I-I-I'm getting kind of scared." _Jeez is his mission on earth to irritate me? He really t-talks too much too. I don't know how Pirika can put up with him!_

_sigh… in a way, this reminds me of when we first met, my pink-haired princess. You were alone and scared, so I came to rescue you._

_Wow but she seems like she's in a really bad mood…_ "Ahahahahahaha! You seriously got stuck? So you mean to tell me that I got so worried about where you were only to find that the great Tamao Tamamura got stuck in a silly old tree?" _Okay well maybe not silly, but still!_

"Shut up! Um…Can you just help me down?" _He was worried about me? No, that can't be. I bet he's just saying that._

"Heh. Why would I want to do that?" I said as sarcastically as physically possible.

_What! H-he's not going to get me down! Okay, Tamao be brave, be rationa-_ "WHY THE HECK AREN'T YOU GOING TO COME GET ME!" _Way to be rational!_

"Hm… well let's see here. For all of the times that I've saved my dear Tamao and have been there to catch you when you fallen cough out of a tree I think the honorable Horo Horo deserves a well earned break." If looks could kill, Horo Horo would've been long gone. "Besides, keeping up with you really takes a lot out of a guy!" Horo said wearing a ha-ha-you-got-stuck-up-in-a-tree-and-need-me-to-save-you smirk.

"Horo Horo if you don't get me down from this blasted tree I'll-"

"You'll what dear?"

"I'll… Dang."

_Got em._ "Well Tamao, since I'm feeling quite the hero today, I'll come and get you on one condition. And you have to answer whole-heartedly with no strings attached. Deal?"

"Fine, fine whatever. Just-just get me down ya hear?"

"You promise to go alone with my one condition no matter what it is?"

"Yes already!"

"You pinky swear?"

"I pinky swear!"

"You double pinky swear?"

"HORO HORO!"

"Ha-ha. Alright, alright. You know I wouldn't just leave a damsel in distress. That's just how much of a gentleman I am." He quickly smiled then sped his way up the 80 foot tree.

"Wow! You really got up pretty high didn't you?" he called almost two-thirds up. _Now why in the world would the Asakura's want to keep a tree as big as this one anywhere NEAR their house! It's HUUGE! Besides, it's a safety hazard! Really! The things I do for her._

"Just a little closer and I'll be there!"

Finally he reached the branch that Tamao mountain climbed up to. "Thanks. I really appreciate it. All the many times that you've had to come and be my prince charming and come rescue me. I know that I can be a burden to you, but I know that I can count on you and I really am grateful" she whispered. Suddenly the ground, or the branch I must say, seemed like the most fascinating thing to look at.

"Aww! You're making me blush!" and he was. Thankfully the branch held her attention long enough to distract her.

"Alright, so shall we make our way back to earth Tamao?" With that said he picked her up bridal style and started jumping his way down with her in his arms with such ease and grace.

Tamao had always seen Horo Horo training, but for the first time she was experiencing the results first-hand. It was amazing! She felt so safe, so secure in his strong arms, that he'd never let her go no matter what. And he wouldn't. But was she feeling something else too? Was it admiration? Gratefulness? Trust? Her and Horo had always been close, but she'd never quite had this particular feeling inside her until now. She was beginning to feel a little weak and was it her or was it getting a little warm? Could it be that? No… she probably just felt a little tired from the heat after all. So, shyly, she intended to wrap her arms around his neck.

Horo Horo wasn't expecting this however! So when she began squirming and wiggling around, she somehow managed to pop him in the face!

And at that moment, Horo slipped on the branch that he was coming towards and the two of them began plummeting straight down! Thinking quickly, he held on tighter to Tamao and turned in mid-air so that he'd take most of the impact. In response, Tamao returned the hug like there was no tomorrow!

THUUDD!

SNAAP!

…

"T-Tamao?"

No answer.

_Oh God. Did she get hurt? If she's hurt I swear… I-I swear I'll never forgive myself. Tamao, please answer me! If you only knew how much you're scaring me! I love you… so much Tamao!_

Sniff.

"H-Horo Horo."

"Tamao! Are you okay! You didn't get hurt did you? Did you break anything? Are you okay!"

Tamao looked up to face Horo Horo, tears in her sad pink eyes. "You're hurt" she whispered.

He looked at her confused. "I'm hurt?" But he felt alright, nothing seemed to be wrong. _What in the world was she talking about? Maybe her tears blurred her train of thought._

Still, he was looking at her so intensely. Confused, but intense. That's when she realized they were so close together! The two hadn't move an inch since they hit the floor. She blushed. _Yet he did look cute up close… wait! What was she thinking at a time like this! Her Horo Horo was hurt!_

…_Did she just say- No, wait she couldn't have._

She motioned with her sad eyes for him to look down.

And indeed he did. "Oh." There laid his knee quite purple and black, twisted in an unnatural direction. Horo Horo had broken it.

"I'm so sorry Horo!" she mumbled into his shirt tears still flowing, and too embarrassed to look at him. "I-if it wasn't for me you wouldn't be hurt. I'm so clumsy. Too helpless for my own good! I can't do anything for myself! Because of me… because of me you'd be better off and…" she continued rambling.

_  
Oh Tamao, my sweet little princess. How you don't understand me at all. Though I wish you could. I wish I could tell you that I wouldn't want you any other way. You're no burden at all to me, actually I enjoy the times like this that we have together. I have you all to myself. No Master Yoh, no Anna, no one else but me. And even though your heart belongs to someone else, you'll always have a place in mine. I will never stop caring about you. You're like my own beautiful little Cinderella and I'm your Prince who'll always be there to catch you when you fall. Because of you… because of you I've learned to truly love someone and that's all I'll ever want. You may never know this but I still want to tell you… Tamao, you are the love of my life… Though you seriously do get yourself in trouble a lot! And I mean a lot!_

Sniff Sniff Giggle Sniff Giggle

_When did she stop talking?_

"Just long enough to hear what you said." Quickly trying to hide/dry her eyes with his white shirt.

_Is she a mind reader now? This is crazy!_

Hehe. "NO, Horo Horo. I am not a mind reader. You just need to stop thinking OUT LOUD!"

Her very amused pink eyes met with very shocked blue ones.

A moment.

A blush.

"How much did you say you heard again?"

She coyly smiled.

_That smile. She's never smiled at me like that before!_

"Everything."

_Oh no! Oh no! She heard everything! What do I do! What do I do!_

"Horo Horo stop thinking out loud!" she giggled her tears forgotten.

"Oh yea."

"Well?" she asked.

"Well what?" he asked now completely confused.

"Well is it all true? Everything you just thought out loud?"

_Well I guess it's now or never._ "Every word of it. From the bottom of my heart." His voice was soft yet he said every word clear and true. He truly meant every word. He waited quietly expecting her to laugh or to tell him how big a fool he was for pouring out his heart and soul to her.

But it never came.

"Thank you." Tamao was smiling!

"Thank you for being my Prince Charming. Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for being my shoulder to cry on when I was head over heels with Yoh. Thank you for always rushing to my side to be with me. Thank you for caring."

"Tamao. I'm sorry. You don't need to… I know that I'll only be your frie-"

"No. I want to say it too."

_What? But what about Yoh?_ This time, he made sure to think only to himself.

Sensing his uneasiness she went on, "But most of all, I want to thank you for your love."

"Horo Horo Usui, I-I love you too!" With that said, she immediately planted on his lips a sweet and short kiss. A kiss that he'd waited so long for.

Stunned. Relieved. Genuinely Happy. Excited. Shocked. Wonderful! And these were only _some_ of the emotions that he was feeling!

Out of no where, Horo Horo picks his girl up in the world's biggest huge and joyfully swings her around! Mindful of his injured knee of course, but heck, one leg was all he needed for this. They had never let go of each other this whole time. "Tamao, you've just made me the happiest man in the world. And I mean that from the very bottom of my heart."

The two shared a smile and lived happily ever after.

For after Horo Horo rescued his princess, she rescued him right back.

**The End!**

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**NOT! _Continuing on..._  
**

As the two young kids in love walk back to the Asakura residence...

"Hey, Tamao?"

"Hm?"

"Remember the thingI said before I went to get you down from that tree?"

"Oh! The 'one condition' that you made me promise I'd do? Sure, what was it?"

_Nyahaha.. _

"...Uh oh."

_Nyahahahahaha... _

"Horo Horo?"

_Nyahahahahahahahahahaaa! _

"Hello? You okay?"

_Nyahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaa! _

"OKAY! OKAY! I get the point! It's bad! So just SPILL!

"You have to be my SLAVE for an ENTIRE MONTH! Yes, yes, yes! That means you must do what I tell you 24/7! Which means: do my laundry, cook ALL my meals, do all my chores, pamper and shower me with compliments whenever you see me, speak only when spoken to, call me Master Horo Horo, and love only me!"

"WHAAAAAAAT!"

"Are you freaking INSANE!"

"Insanely in love with you."

"I mean what kind of MAD MAN would do such a thing!"

"One that's madly in love with only his dear Tamao."

"Are you TRYING to KILL ME!"

"No, I just want you near me always."

_Siiiigh._ "Horo Horo, although I love you to death... You really are hopeless."_ But wait! He's hurt right?_ _Nyahahaha... Freedom! At least he's hurt so he really can't do any harm to me if i don't do as we wishes can he! In your face! _Just the mere thought of escaping the hell that Horo Horo would bring upon her poor little life, made her grinned as if she was already home free until--

"And since I'm injured and you can basically escape whenever you want, if I find that you've skipped out on your chores..."

_Crap._

"Once i get better... hehehe...you MAY just find yourself back up in that tree again! MUAHAHAHAHAAA!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" _Well there goes my next month of freedom! Goodbye life. Goodbye sleep. Goodbye.. Goodbye.. Goodbye.._

"AND SO! For my first wish as your Master... I command you.."

_And it begins. I hope it doesn't kill me, thought Tamao. _

_"...to kiss me." finished Horo Horo with the same old goofy grin that he always wore._

With that said, he pulled his pink haired princess close and kissed her with all the passion that had bottled itself up these past three years. As for Tamao, she kissed him right back with just as much fire. And that, my friend, was the beginning of something beautiful and new to both of them.

Tamao grinned, "I can live with that."

"So can I," the Ainu happily replied. "So can I."

And to think, all of this resulted from a little game of hide and seek.

The REAL end.

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Wow um this fic was actually a lot longer than I had originally planned it to be. I guess I got a liiittle carried away but whatever. I hope you liked it! i worked really hard and this was the outcome. Woot woot! Yay for Horo Horo and Tamao! 


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